NEW U.S. SPINY LOBSTER RULE APPLAUDED BY BRAZILIAN GOVT;

UNCLAS BRASILIA 000127 SIPDIS DEPT FOR OES/OMC - J. SANDERS DEPT FOR OES/ENRV - H. LEE E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: EFIS SENV CITES BR SUBJECT: NEW U.S. SPINY LOBSTER RULE APPLAUDED BY BRAZILIAN GOVT; POSSIBLE CITES ANNEX III LISTING REF: STATE 4147 (U) THIS CABLE IS SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED AND NOT FOR INTERNET DISTRIBUTION. ¶1. (SBU) On January 28, ESTH Counselor briefed the Director of the Brazilian Ministry of External Relations' (MRE) Environment Division, Fernando Coimbra, about the new U.S import regulation for Caribbean Spiny Lobster (REFTEL). Coimbra said that the Brazilian Government also was concerned about the problem of predatory fishing of spiny lobster. He added that they were now considering increasing the protection for the spiny lobster by listing the spiny lobster on Annex III of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES). Coimbra appreciated the USG taking this new import measure to protect the spiny lobster. It would make it easier for the Brazilian Government to be stricter on catching spiny lobster because it would not be a Brazilian unilateral measure, he explained. Importantly, Coimbra added, this new regulation would not put Brazilian fishermen at a disadvantage compared with those from other spiny lobster exporting countries. ¶2. (SBU) Later that day, ESTH briefed the Special Secretariat for Aquiculture and Fishing's (SEAP) General Coordinator for the Fishing Industry, Fabiano Rosa Duarte, about the new regulation. He requested a complete copy of the text of the regulation, which, with the help of OES/OMC, Post obtained and provided to SEAP on January ¶30. ¶3. (SBU) Further, on January 30 the Post delivered to the MRE a diplomatic note (no. 46) with the information contained in REFTEL about the new import regulation. SOBEL